How to deal with nightmare customers?

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/crosby-grandad-judged-suicide-risk-9589150?ICID=FB-Liv-main

A MERSEYSIDE great-grandad said his “holiday of a lifetime” was ruined when cruise staff judged him a suicide risk because he said he wanted to “jump ship”.

The pensioner said he got wet paint on his trousers and hand after arriving in the cabin, because it had been freshly painted, and some of the furniture was stained.

After complaining several times, he told a maitre d’ in the restaurant that he wanted to “jump ship” at the next stop on the trip last May.

When he returned to his cabin, security staff and the ship’s second captain arrived and told the family they were seeking legal advice on whether Mr Moran could remain on the ship - as they thought he had threatened to throw himself overboard.


Anyone else think that the captain made the right decision? Threatening to 'jump ship' can easily be interpreted as a suicide threat, and I wouldn't have taken any chances either. Judging by the comments section, folks are quick to accuse the cruise liner staff of overreacting, but my view is wanting to abandon your holiday over some paint on your trousers is twice as bad!

jamesbere

Overreaction on both sides, they should all be shot for this overreaction.

Massimo Cassagrande

jamesbere wrote: »

Overreaction on both sides, they should all be shot for this overreaction.

I think shooting them would be an overreaction. Throwing them overboard to the sharks would be more mature and measured.

maxwell smart

Massimo Cassagrande wrote: »

I think shooting them would be an overreaction. Throwing them overboard to the sharks would be more mature and measured.

And nautically themed, which I am sure all parties would approve of.

diomed

Its an idiom. They are idiots. What is the issue? I would be irked. They have odd ideas.

NachoBusiness

I doubt for one second the captain of that ship thought that the passenger meant he was gonna jump overboard. It's a figure of speech and I'd say he used the situation to his advantage. I mean, if you were threatening to jump overboard, why would you specify 'at the next stop'. Throwing yourself overboard when the ship ports would be pretty pointless. Asshole Captain.

endacl

What colour was the paint?

Eugene Norman

If the staff were non native speakers it might have been lost in translation.

Pumpkinseeds

I don't think you could describe him as a 'nightmare customer'. The man was justifiably annoyed about the wet paint in his cabin and he told them he didn't want to continue with the cruise. It was a total overreaction from staff. It appears that nobody took the time to actually speak to the man properly. What should have happened was an apology for the wet paint, an offer to move him to a different cabin and a proper conversation about what he meant by jump ship.

The_Mask

Rule #1 Don't take it personal

minidazzler

diomed wrote: »

Its an idiom. They are idiots. What is the issue? I would be irked. They have odd ideas.

What country was the maitre'd from? It's not a worldwide idiom, it's strictly an English language thing that a lot of people wouldn't get....

Sunnyisland

Should of made him walk the plank

P_1

An idiotic, self entitled git put rightly back in his box in my opinion

Grayson

I worked in a call centre where we had strict instructions to report any threats of self harm to the police. It rarely happened but we had to because if they were serious we'd be liable. And we weren't allowed make a judgement call on it because we're hardly qualified to make that sort of decision.

If the ships staff had any doubt at all about what was meant, then they have to err on the side of caution. If they hadn't, and he later flung himself off the ship, the repercussions would have been enormous.

Lesser of two evils tbh. It's easy to think it's over reaction in hindsight, but if they were right it would have been much, much, worse.

brummytom

In fairness, if he was saying he was going to 'jump ship' at work or something, it'd be a silly reaction. Saying it on an actual ship, though...

diomed

Royal Caribbean get the advertising they deserve from this, holidaymakers who wouldn't touch them with a bargepole (another idiom).
American company + security staff = ignorant overreaction.
I'm surprised they didn't shoot him for his own safety.

The Backwards Man

You wouldn't shout 'Bombs Away' when having a poop in an airplane toilet.

biko

Possibly it's because they can't keep their own employees from committing suicide.

The concern that I have is that there are so many crew members employed by Royal Caribbean who have gone overboard. Were these employees overwhelmed by work and felt hopeless away from their families? There is great stress placed on the cleaners, cabin attendants and waiters by their supervisors and department heads as Royal Caribbean struggles to stay profitable.

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2012/10/articles/disappearances-1/is-royal-caribbean-working-its-crew-members-to-death/

The_Valeyard

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You wouldn't shout 'Bombs Away' when having a poop in an airplane toilet.

Or say 'Hi' to your cousin 'Jack'

Gongoozler

Candie wrote: »

If they hadn't, and he later flung himself off the ship, the repercussions would have been enormous.

In what way?

Red Kev

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You wouldn't shout 'Bombs Away' when having a poop in an airplane toilet.

You do it when you flush, not when having the actual crap.

corner of hells

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You wouldn't shout 'Bombs Away' when having a poop in an airplane toilet.

The term to be used while in earshot of airline staff is "I'm just off to release a hostage" , everyone knows that's the universal term for having a dump while in flight.

Santa Cruz

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/crosby-grandad-judged-suicide-risk-9589150?ICID=FB-Liv-main

A MERSEYSIDE great-grandad said his “holiday of a lifetime” was ruined when cruise staff judged him a suicide risk because he said he wanted to “jump ship”.

The pensioner said he got wet paint on his trousers and hand after arriving in the cabin, because it had been freshly painted, and some of the furniture was stained.

After complaining several times, he told a maitre d’ in the restaurant that he wanted to “jump ship” at the next stop on the trip last May.

When he returned to his cabin, security staff and the ship’s second captain arrived and told the family they were seeking legal advice on whether Mr Moran could remain on the ship - as they thought he had threatened to throw himself overboard.


Anyone else think that the captain made the right decision? Threatening to 'jump ship' can easily be interpreted as a suicide threat, and I wouldn't have taken any chances either. Judging by the comments section, folks are quick to accuse the cruise liner staff of overreacting, but my view is wanting to abandon your holiday over some paint on your trousers is twice as bad!

Well as the Captain was dealing with a Scouser it was best to take extreme caution

Buona Fortuna

Santa Cruz wrote: »

Well as the Captain was dealing with a Scouser it was best to take extreme caution

I know it said cruise but we're not just taling about the freight boat to Dublin are we?

Sunnyisland

diomed wrote: »

Royal Caribbean get the advertising they deserve from this, holidaymakers who wouldn't touch them with a bargepole (another idiom).
American company + security staff = ignorant overreaction.
I'm surprised they didn't shoot him for his own safety.

Most of the crew on cruise ships are not American, the few cruises I have been on (yes I know :-)) the captains were Norwegian with a very broad range of nationalities following.

Gongoozler

Gongoozler wrote: »

In what way?

If he's killed himself and it emerged that staff knew he threatened to do it, jobs would be lost and bad publicity would be everywhere. There's too much competition out there with cruises for bad publicity.

GreatDefector

Alright, alright.... Calm down lad

Pumpkinseeds

He's an elderly man using an old fashioned expression. Saying he wanted to 'jump ship' is saying he wanted to go absent without leave, not that he wanted to slit his wrists. I really can't fathom where this idea of him being suicidal came from. Again, if someone had actually sat down and spoken to the man, as was their job, the situation wouldn't have arisen.

Canis Lupus

I'm assuming non native english speakers here... idiots either way.

Massimo Cassagrande

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I'm assuming non native english speakers here... idiots either way.

The scouse accent is indeed fairly unfathomable, but that's still a bit harsh.

A business will always err on the side of caution with regards to customer safety. Say if the guy said, "I'm going to jump ship", the workers knew about this, and he then actually committed suicide, then the ship could be potentially hit with a very hefty lawsuit.

What it doesn't say is whether there was a "Wet Paint" sign anywhere? If there were and the guy sat down, then he should take responsibility for that - however, if there wasn't, then he's justifiably angry, but the ship actions were justifiable.

If you look it up, you'll see that it is surprisingly common for people to kill themselves while on cruise ships.

Gongoozler

Candie wrote: »

If he's killed himself and it emerged that staff knew he threatened to do it, jobs would be lost and bad publicity would be everywhere. There's too much competition out there with cruises for bad publicity.

Yeah if he threatened to do it. But he didn't. And I think any reasonable person (and potential jury) would see that there was no reason for anybody to assume that's what he was implying,so no it would never realistically cost anyone their jobs. Not in that way anyway. Bad publicity may be another story, but I would still have enough faith in people to know the ridiculousness of making making that assumption.

dubscottie

Treat them the same way you would like to be treated yourself.

If they come at you all shouty, say "hi my name is xx", shake hands, and say "what is the problem you are having and how can I help.

If you are any good at your job you will always have a solution or an alternative for them. ALWAYS!

Shaking hands always calms a situation down..

ToddyDoody

You need to use silence, lots of silence.